Pump device and methods of making the same

ABSTRACT

A pump including a flexible membrane and a body defining a fluid pump chamber therebetween may be fitted with an overlying, removable, rigid cap to protect inadvertent actuation of the membrane pumping mechanism.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61232085, entitled “PUMP DEVICE AND METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME,” filedAug. 7, 2009, and incorporates the same herein by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention:

Embodiments of the invention relate to fluid pump devices and moreparticularly to fluid pump devices which may be mounted to containersfor pumping fluids from the containers utilizing a deformable membrane.

2. State of the Art:

Pump devices are well known and are used on a variety of products topump liquids. For example, pump devices are generally attached to liquidcontaining containers in order to facilitate evacuation of the liquidfrom the container. Conventional pump systems include piston pumpsystems and membrane-type pump systems.

Conventional piston pumps are well known and typically include a pistonpositioned within an accumulator. A valve in the accumulator may preventor allow liquid from a container to flow into the accumulator dependingon the stroke of the piston. A spring typically biases the piston. Whenthe piston is pushed downward into the accumulator, commonly referred toas the downstroke, a fluid flow path around the piston opens and theaccumulator valve remains shut such that any fluid accumulated in theaccumulator may be forced through the fluid flow path. A spring forceacts against the piston. When the piston is released from the downstrokethe spring biases the piston back into its starting position; this isalso known as the upstroke. During the upstroke, movement of the pistonopens the accumulator valve, pulling fluid into the accumulator fordelivery during the next downstroke. Operation of conventional pistonpumps is well known and may vary from the foregoing.

Membrane-type pump devices typically include a deformable membranedefining a pump chamber. Application of a force to the membrane pushesliquid product out of the pump chamber through a valve or liquid flowpath. Release of the force on the membrane allows the membrane to returnto its original form. During the return of the membrane to its originalform a valve may be opened allowing liquid to flow into the pump chamberfrom a container or other liquid storage device. For example, U.S.Patent Application Publications 20070181611 and 2007164052 disclose suchmembrane-type pump devices.

Membrane-type pump devices may be less expensive than conventionalpiston pumps in some instances because they typically include fewermoving parts and are easier to assemble. However, membrane-type pumpsmay sacrifice quality and functionality to achieve such lower costs andease of assembly. Therefore, it is desirable to decrease the cost ofmembrane-type pumps and/or to improve the functionality of membrane-typepumps.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to certain embodiments of the invention, a pump may include abody, a closure, a membrane and a cap, wherein the body and the closureare fitted together and the membrane is fitted to the body such that acavity is formed between the membrane and the closure. A cap fitted overthe membrane may include a removable cap portion.

According to various embodiments of the invention, a cap may include acap body and a removable cap portion. In some embodiments, the removablecap portion may be configured to protect the membrane from actuation. Inother embodiments, the removable cap portion may be configured tosupport a top load. In still other embodiments of the invention, theremovable cap portion may be configured to evidence tampering with themembrane or the pump.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing outand distinctly claiming particular embodiments of the present invention,various embodiments of the invention can be more readily understood andappreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art from the followingdescriptions of various embodiments of the invention when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a pump according to various embodiments of theinvention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a pump according to variousembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a closure for a pump according to various embodimentsof the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a closure according tovarious embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a body and membrane for a pump according to variousembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a body and membrane for apump according to various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a cap for a pump according to various embodiments ofthe invention; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a cap for a pump accordingto various embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to embodiments of the invention, a pump for dispensing fluidproducts may include a flexible or elastomeric membrane attached to abody wherein the membrane and the body define a pump chamber. Themembrane and the body may be a molded plastic part, a bi-injectedplastic part including at least two plastic or moldable materials, orseparate molded or formed parts fitted together. A closure device may beattached to, fitted with, integrally formed, or otherwise associatedwith the body for attaching the pump to a container or fluid source. Themembrane may include one or more sealable openings through which a fluidproduct may be dispensed when a force is applied to the membrane. A capmay be fitted over a portion or all of the membrane and a portion of thecap may be removable such that a portion of the cap prevents activationof the membrane or the application of a force to the membrane until theportion of the cap is removed.

A pump 100 according to various embodiments of the invention isillustrated in FIG. 1. The pump 100 may include a body 110, a closuremechanism (not shown), a membrane 130, and a cap 140 covering at least aportion of the membrane 130. A dip tube 124 may be attached to the pump100 and the pump 100 may be attached to a container or other fluidsource.

A cross sectional view of a pump 100 according to various embodiments ofthe invention is illustrated in FIG. 2. As illustrated, a pump 100 mayinclude a body 110, a closure 120, a membrane 130, and a cap 140. Theclosure 120 and the body 110 may be fitted together such that theclosure 120 fits inside the body 110 and is secured or attached thereto.In some embodiments, the closure 120 may be frictionally fit or attachedto the body 110. In other embodiments, the closure 120 may be welded,melted, or otherwise attached to or secured to the body 110 as desired.In still other embodiments, the closure 120 and body 110 may be a singlecomponent molded or otherwise formed together. The membrane 130 and thebody 110 may also be secured or attached together. In some embodiments,the membrane 130 and the body 110 may be formed of two plastic ormoldable materials that are bi-injected in a single molded piece. Thecap 140 may also be attached or secured to the body 110. The cap 140 mayinclude a removable cap portion protecting at least a part of themembrane 130.

A closure 120 according to various embodiments of the invention isillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. A closure 120 may include one or more of aball seat 121, a tube retainer 123, a closure mechanism 126, and a valvepost 128.

A ball seat 121 may include any conventional ball seat 121 or mechanismfor retaining a ball 122 for a valve. In other embodiments of theinvention, a ball seat 121 and ball 122 may be substituted with analternative valve such as a flap valve or other valve system asconventionally known.

A tube retainer 123 may include any conventional tube retainingmechanism. For example, the tube retainer 123 illustrated in FIG. 4 mayinclude ribs, bumps, or other features to retain a dip tube 124 to theclosure 120 as illustrated in FIG. 2. In addition, the tube retainer 123may include a larger diameter than a dip tube 124 such that a dip tube124 overlying the tube retainer 123 is frictionally fitted to the tuberetainer 123. In other embodiments, a dip tube 124 may be retained on aninterior surface of the tube retainer 123 rather than on the exteriorsurface as illustrated in FIG. 2. Any conventional method or structurefor retaining a dip tube 124 to the closure 120 may be used with variousembodiments of the invention.

The closure mechanism 126 illustrated in FIG. 4 includes a screw-typeclosure as conventionally known. Other closure mechanisms 126 may alsobe used with various embodiments of the invention. For example, theclosure mechanism 126 may include a snap-on closure system or a bayonetclosure system. The closure mechanism 126 may be used to secure or fit apump 100 to a bottle or container using conventional methods.

According to various embodiments of the invention, the closure 120 mayalso include a valve post 128. The valve post 128 may extend from theclosure 120 vertically or in another direction such that when theclosure 120 is mounted or attached to the body 110, the valve post 128abuts or otherwise contacts at least a portion of the membrane 130.

A closure 120 may also include a lip 129 or a partial lip 129circumscribing the closure 120. The lip 129 may be used to retain theclosure 120 within a body 110 of a pump 100.

A closure 120 according to various embodiments of the invention may be asingle piece. For example, the closure 120 may be a single moldedplastic part. In other embodiments, the closure 120 may be made of oneor more parts which have been attached together or otherwise joined toform the closure 120.

A body 110 and membrane 130 combination of a pump 100 according toembodiments of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. Asillustrated in FIG. 5, the membrane 130 may appear to rest on the topportion of the body 110. In some embodiments, the membrane 130 and body110 may include two separate components attached or otherwise joinedtogether. In other embodiments, the body 110 and membrane 130 mayinclude two or more different materials joined together, such as bybeing bi-injected together.

A body 110 according to embodiments of the invention may be formed of aplastic or other material and in some instances, a moldable material. Asillustrated in FIG. 6, a body 110 may include a spout 112 having apassageway 113 from an interior of the body 110 to an exterior of thebody 110. A body 110 may also include a main wall 114 and a secondarywall 116 extending outwardly from the main wall 114. The main wall 114may be attached to, in communication with, or otherwise joined with amembrane 130. One or more projections 115 on an interior surface of themain wall 114 may also be included with the body 110.

A membrane 130 according to embodiments of the invention may include anelastomeric material, flexible material, or material which may bedeformed and which will return substantially to its original shape afterbeing deformed. In some embodiments of the invention, the membrane 130includes an elastomeric material bi-injected with the body 110 such thatthe membrane 130 and body 110 are a single part. In other embodiments ofthe invention, a membrane 130 may be attached to, secured to, orotherwise joined with a body 110 to form a body 110 and membrane 130structure as illustrated in FIG. 5.

According to embodiments of the invention, a membrane 130 may include avalve 132. A valve may include a slot cut in the membrane 130, a flap inthe membrane 130, or other structure in the membrane 130 or attached tothe membrane 130 to act as a valve between an interior space between themembrane 130 and the closure 120 and the passageway 113 through the body110. For example, the membrane 130 illustrated in FIG. 2 may include aslot cut in the membrane 130 wherein the slot abuts the valve post 128of the closure.

A closure 120 may be fitted on an interior of the body 110 asillustrated in FIG. 2. The closure 120 may be snap-fitted, frictionallyfit, or otherwise attached to the body 110. In some instances, the lip129 of a closure 120 may snap past one or more projections 115 of a body110 to retain the closure 120 within the body 110 or to assemble theclosure 120 with the body 110 of a pump 100. When a closure 120 isfitted with the body 110 a valve post 128 of the closure 120, if thereis one, may abut against or otherwise touch a portion of the membrane130. In some embodiments of the invention, a valve post 128 may cover aportion of the membrane 130 having a valve 132 or slit through which afluid product may pass. Contact between the valve post 128 and the valve132 of the membrane 130 may improve sealing of the valve 132 or may helpprevent air entering the spout 112 from passing through the valve 132 tocontact a fluid product in the pump 100.

A cap 140 according to embodiments of the invention may be fitted to thebody 110 around or over the membrane 130. A cap 140 may include one ormore of a cap body 142, a removable cap portion 144, and a cap opening146.

For example, a cap 140 according to embodiments of the invention isillustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. The cap 140 illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8includes a cap body 142 which may be attached to the body 110 to helpdefine the shape of the pump 110. The cap 140 also includes a removablecap portion 144 which partially covers the membrane 130 with the cap 140is attached to the body 110. A cap opening 146 between the cap body 142and removable cap portion 144 provides a space through which themembrane 130 may be seen or by which leverage may be applied to theremovable cap portion 144 to separate the removable cap portion 144 formthe cap body 142.

According to some embodiments of the invention, a removable cap portion144 of a cap 140 may protect the membrane 130 under the removable capportion 144 from actuation. For example, a cap 140 as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2 may include a removable cap portion 144 covering most ofthe membrane 130. A force applied to the removable cap portion 144 maynot be transferred to the membrane 130 due to the rigidity of theremovable cap portion 144. Thus, the removable cap portion 144 protectsthe membrane 130 from inadvertent actuation. In addition, the removablecap portion 144 may be strong enough to support additional weight suchthat pumps 100 may be stacked on top of one another during shipmentwithout the worry that the additional weight caused by the stacking ofthe pumps 100 will cause actuation of the membrane 130.

Inclusion of a removable cap portion 144 with pumps 100 according toembodiments of the invention also provides notification to a purchaseror user of tampering. For example, if a removable cap portion 144 isintact with the cap body 142 tampering may not have occurred. However,if the removable cap portion 144 is missing or has been partiallyseparated from the cap body 142, evidence of tampering is visuallyapparent.

A removable cap portion 144 may be formed with the cap during molding orproduction of the cap. For example, the removable cap portion 144illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 includes tabs between the cap body 142 andthe removable cap portion 144. The tabs may be molded during formationof the cap 140 and may allow the removable cap portion 144 to be removedor separated from the cap body 142. Other devices, structures, orfeatures may also be incorporated with embodiments of the invention tofit the cap body 142 and the removable cap portion 144 together.

In some embodiments of the invention, a vent in the pump 100 allows theinterior of a container to which the pump 100 is attached to equilibratewith atmospheric pressure.

According to various embodiments of the invention, a pump 100 may beassembled by providing a closure 120, a body 110, a membrane 130 and acap 140. A ball 122 may be fitted in a ball seat 121 of the closure 120and a dip tube 124 may be attached or otherwise joined to a tuberetainer 123 portion of the closure 120. The closure 120 may be snapfitted or otherwise joined with the body 110 such that a fluid chamberbetween a top surface of the closure 120 and an interior surface of amembrane 130 connected to the body 110 is formed. A membrane 130 may beattached to the body 110 or may be integral with the body 110 prior tojoining the closure 120 with the body 110. A cap 140 may be positionedover the membrane 130 and body 110 and joined to the body 110 tofinalize the pump 100.

According to certain embodiments of the invention, the assembly of thepump 100 may include the cutting of a valve 132 in the membrane 130. Infurther embodiments, the closure 120 and body 110 may be aligned priorto joining such that a valve post 128 of the closure 120 mates with,abuts, or otherwise contacts a valve 132 in the membrane 130 in theassembled form.

A pump 100 according to embodiments of the invention may be used in anydesired manner. According to some embodiments, a pump 100 may include aremovable cap portion 144 preventing actuation of the pump 100. Removalof the removable cap portion 144, such as by prying or otherwise pullingthe removable cap portion 144 from the cap body 142, may expose themembrane 130 and allow operation of the pump 100. An application offorce on the membrane 130 may collapse or deform the membrane 130,forcing a fluid product in the pump chamber between the membrane 130 andthe closure 120 out a valve 132 of the membrane 130.

For example, the pump 100 illustrated in FIG. 2 may be attached to acontainer containing a fluid and used in the following manner. Theremovable cap portion 144 of the cap 140 may be removed from the pump100 to expose the membrane 130. The membrane 130 may be actuated bypushing on the membrane 130. Upon actuation, the membrane 130 deformspushing air or other fluid in the pump chamber out of the valve 132 inthe membrane 130. Release of the force on the membrane 130 allows themembrane 130 to return to its original shape, while at the same timeforming a vacuum which opens the ball valve, pulling fluid from withinthe container into the pump chamber. The priming of the pump 100 maycontinue in this fashion as known until the pump chamber is filled withfluid from the container. Actuation of the membrane 130 then forcesfluid stored in the pump chamber out through the valve 132, alongpassageway 113 and out spout 112, thereby dispensing the fluid productto the user.

Pump devices according to various embodiments of the invention mayinclude membranes 130 made from one or more elastomeric materials. Anelastomeric material may include any material capable of being subjectedto a resilient deformation sufficient to fulfill the requirements of theone or more embodiments of the invention. Elastomeric materials usedwith embodiments of the invention may include plastic materials such asfor example polypropylene. Other materials may also be used to form themembranes or part of the membranes 130 according to various embodimentsof the invention.

According to embodiments of the invention, the various components of apump 100 may be made in any desired shape or form and are not limited tothose illustrated. Further, the components may be made from differentmaterials, different colored materials, or different textured materialsto add aesthetic effects to the pumps 100.

While various embodiments of the invention are described with respect tothe delivery or pumping of fluid products or liquids, it is understoodthat such embodiments may also be used to deliver and/or pump productsmade of a combination of any of liquid, solid, or gas. For example, afluid product including a liquid having solid particles mixed thereinmay be pumped or dispensed utilizing various embodiments of theinvention.

Having thus described certain particular embodiments of the invention,it is understood that the invention defined by the appended claims isnot to be limited by particular details set forth in the abovedescription, as many apparent variations thereof are contemplated.Rather, the invention is limited only be the appended claims, whichinclude within their scope all equivalent devices or methods whichoperate according to the principles of the invention as described.

1. A pump, comprising: a body; a membrane secured to an open end of thebody; a closure attached to the body; a fluid chamber defined betweenthe membrane and the closure; and a passageway in communication with thefluid chamber.
 2. The pump of claim 1, wherein the body and the membranecomprise a bi-injected component.
 3. The pump of claim 1, wherein thebody comprises the passageway.
 4. The pump of claim 1, wherein theclosure further comprises: a ball seat; a tube retainer; a closuremechanism; and a valve post.
 5. The pump of claim 4, wherein the valvepost comprises a valve post extending from the closure and contactingthe membrane.
 6. A pump, comprising: a body; a membrane secured to anopen end of the body; a closure attached to the body; a fluid chamberdefined between the membrane and the closure; a passageway incommunication with the fluid chamber; and a cap fitted to the body andoverlying at least a portion of the membrane.
 7. The pump of claim 6,wherein the cap further comprises: a cap body attached to the body ofthe pump; and a removable cap portion partially covering the membrane.8. The pump of claim 7, further comprising a cap opening between the capbody and the removable cap portion.
 9. A pump, comprising: a body; amembrane secured to an open end of the body; a closure, comprising: aball seat; a tube retainer; a closure mechanism; and a valve post,wherein the closure is attached to the body; a fluid chamber definedbetween the membrane and the closure; and a passageway between the fluidchamber and an exterior of the body.
 10. The pump of claim 9, furthercomprising a lip circumscribing at least a portion of the closure andconfigured to attach the closure to the body of the pump.
 11. The pumpof claim 9, further comprising a cap, comprising: a cap body; and aremovable cap portion at least partially covering the membrane.
 12. Thepump of claim 11, further comprising a cap opening between the cap bodyand the removable cap portion.
 13. The pump of claim 9, wherein the bodyfurther comprises: a main wall attached to the membrane; and a secondarywall.
 14. The pump of claim 9, wherein the membrane further comprises avalve.
 15. The pump of claim 14, wherein the valve post abuts againstthe valve.
 16. The pump of claim 9, wherein the body and the membraneare secured through bi-injection.
 17. The pump of claim 9, wherein themembrane comprises a material selected from the group consisting of anelastomeric material, a flexible material, and a deformable material.